On our local math listserv there was a post recently pointing to reports on the positive benefits of having kids do homework. Here is one link to the report, although I came across this report from multiiple sources. The idea is that research shows that students perform better if they do homework, and that countries whose students do more homework also do better on OECD testing. One such test would is the PISA math test.

I was going through some emails I have from a listserv I subscribe to and I came across a conversation we had earlier this year about Chromebooks vs real computers (forgive my cheeky provocation). Below I have copied a message sent to the listserv that summarizes the struggle I see happening around our schools. I personally haven’t had to deal much with the chromebook vs PC purchasing quandry, mostly because we can’t afford any devices, full stop.

Over the past 4 years I’ve used several different platforms for classroom websites including wikispaces, wordpress and moodle. They each have strengths and weaknesses, and they all have one thing in common: it takes a lot of work to keep them updated throughout the year. By the end of this year I was taxed out and unsure if I was willing to continue with class websites, the reason being that I wasn’t convinced that my students really used them very much.

Although I could make a list of 10 uses for old toothpaste tubes in a classroom, I think it would be a waste of time and pretty much useless. Afterall, I have no pedagogical need to use toothpaste tubes in my classrooms and even if I had one use for them I doubt I could think of 10 good uses. The same goes for the “10 uses for in your classroom” blog posts and online articles.

Yesterday Linda Kwan was nice enough to give me and my VP a tour of her wireless projector at UHill Secondary. I’ve had some trepidation on our upcoming wireless system and was really interested in seeing a wireless projector in action. Linda was able to demonstrate just how well the Epson wireless software interacts with the Brightlink projector, and it was great to see the system working. The LAN connected quickly without any hitches.

As we prepare to move into a new building next fall, I’ve been thinking about the projectors that we’ll have in the new classrooms. We are leaving our old ones behind, and for good reason. Not only do they not perform as well as new ones but the replacement bulbs are outrageously expensive. My projector bulb is on its last legs (dim, many colours aren’t shown), and a new bulb costs $400.

It’s that time of year again where the courses start to wind down. Which leads to the most anticipated question of the year. “Will there be a final exam?” This can be a tricky question at the best of times. For my grade 9 science students, it’s beyond tricky. There are lots of arguments to be made about final exams. I don’t want to do a complete analysis of these arguments but I would like to say what I think the various pros and cons are.

I regularly come across blog posts, twitter posts, and comments on BYOD and how students should use smartphones in school. Smartphones are occasionally used in my science and physics classes, and can offer some interesting opportunities. Smartphones are much more than learning devices though. For every one part of learning there is hidden in a smartphone, there are probably about 3 parts digital addiction. Phones in classes are driving me nuts.

The thoughts below are based on my experience working as mechanical engineer for 15 years, my experience as a high school science and physics teacher, my interest in professional development, and my study of problem based learning and how to educate competent, useful and resourceful students. Science K - 9 In general I’m very pleased with the draft K - 9 curriculum. I had sent feedback and ideas about the new curriculum before the drafts were published.

I created a 180 day blog at http://bcphysics180.wordpress.com and have been posting there regularly. You may be interested in today’s post which follows a general theme of inquiry in math: http://bcphysics180.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/day-31-length-area-volume/